BBC podcaster Dame Deborah James, who is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer, reveals she’s spent two years writing a book she won’t live to see published and will be ‘flying high long before’ it’s released in August
- Dame Deborah James has revealed she won’t live to see her book published
- The BBC podcaster revealed on Instagram she’s spent two years writing a book
- She is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer after being diagnosed in 2016
- Believes she will be ‘flying high’ by the time the book is published in August
Dame Deborah James has said she is ‘gutted’ that she won’t be alive for the publication of her second book.
Deborah, 40, who is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at her parents’ home in Woking, revealed on Instagram today that she has spent the last two years working on a book, How To Live When You Could Be Dead.
Noting the ‘irony’ of the title, she wrote: ‘I wanted to share all my (hard-won!!) learning on how to have a positive mindset when we are faced with life’s biggest challenges.’
The book was originally set to be published in January 2023 but is now set to be released in August. However despite the best efforts of her publishers’, Penguin, Deborah believes she will not be alive for the release.
‘It is still long after I’m flying high,’ she wrote in the candid post, ‘but hopefully it’s a little less longer for you to wait.’
Dame Deborah James has said she is ‘gutted’ that she won’t be alive for the publication of her second book
Deborah, 40, who is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer, revealed on Instagram today that she has spent the last two years working on a book, How To Live When You Could Be Dead
It comes days after Deborah, who hosted BBC podcast You, Me And the Big C, enjoyed an afternoon of tea and champagne with Prince William , as he presented her with a Damehood for her tireless fundraising efforts
The book was originally set to be published in January 2023 but is now set to be released in August. However despite the best efforts of her publishers’, Penguin, Deborah believes she will not be alive for the release
The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner lives in London but revealed last week she will receive end-of-life care at her mother’s home in Woking.
It comes days after Deborah, who hosted BBC podcast You, Me And the Big C, enjoyed an afternoon of tea and champagne with Prince William, as he presented her with a Damehood for her tireless fundraising efforts.
Her Bowel Babe fund, which was launched last week to raise money for Cancer Research UK, has received more than £6million in donations. The book will also raise funds.
Announcing the book, she wrote: ‘I wrote another book!! So I’ve got a few things to share with you before I die that I’m gutted I won’t see in real life! But I’ve now been granted permission to share them and I’m really excited!
‘For the last 2 years I’ve been working on my second book How to Live when you could be Dead – oh the irony of the title! I wanted to share all my (hard-won!!) learning on how to have a positive mindset when we are faced with life’s biggest challenges.
‘Whilst it is in its final edits, as anyone in publishing will know, suddenly changing book publication dates (regardless of health!) isn’t an easy feat. It was originally due out Jan 2023!!!
Dame Deborah (centre, with husband Sebastien Bowen left, while children Eloise, 12 and Hugo, 14, back) told her more than 630,000 Instagram followers how ‘kind’ William (right) ‘made everyone feel at ease’, adding that he was ‘welcome back any time.’
She wrote on Friday: ‘I cannot thank you for your generosity at launching the @bowelbabefund which now stands at £5.9 million, and to the @dukeandduchessofcambridge for going above and beyond to make a very special memory happen yesterday’
Deborah was made a dame by the Queen for her commitment to raising awareness and funds for bowel cancer following her diagnosis in 2016
The BBC podcaster told her then 686,000 followers: ‘Can’t quite believe I’m actually a Dame! My family are being amazing and as emotional as it all is, we are finding so much to smile about in the sadness’
‘All things considered, Penguin have managed to put it on pre-order and are aiming to publish it on the 18th August! It is still long after I’m flying high, but hopefully a little less longer for you to wait.
‘We have worked really hard over the last few days to ensure the book benefits Bowelbabe Fund as much as possible. All my royalties will go to the fund and Penguin have kindly agreed to make an additional contribution per book. Altogether the donation per book will be £3.’
Deborah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years – a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021.
At the start of the year, the mother-of-two, who shares her children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien, announced she had ‘nearly died’ in hospital, calling it the ‘hardest’ part of her 5-year cancer battle, and was admitted as an in-patient earlier this month.
She shared an Instagram post last week revealing that ‘nobody knows how long she has left’.
She wrote: ‘The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn’t playing ball.
‘My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I’m not in pain and spending time with them.’
Deborah has dedicated her final weeks to raising funds for Cancer Research UK, leading to her being awarded a damehood in a personal visit by Prince William to her family home.
Sharing pictures of the meeting on Instagram, Dame Deborah wrote: ‘Prince William actually came to our family house today!
‘I am utterly honoured that he joined us for afternoon tea and champagne, where he not only spent a generous amount of time talking to my whole family but also honoured me with my Damehood.’
She said having a royal ‘pop in’ was surreal and joked that the cleaning antics before his arrival were ‘off the scale’.
‘But it was all irrelevant because William was so kind and he put us all at ease,’ she added. ‘He is clearly passionate about improving oncology outcomes as the President of the Royal Marsden.
‘It was such a special day for my whole family, making memories to last a life time. He’s welcome back any time!’
Deborah James (pictured) was honoured with a Damehood after raising millions of pounds for charity since last Monday as she revealed she was receiving end-of-life care
The former headteacher (pictured right, with children Eloise, 12, Hugo, 14 and husband Sebastien Bowen) was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has kept her more than 500,000 Instagram followers up to date with her treatments.
Last Monday, Deborah announced that despite having 17 tumours removed and undergoing new procedures she has been moved to hospice care because her ‘body simply isn’t playing ball’
In interview with The Sun Deborah revealed her shock at becoming a Dame, revealing: ‘I don’t know what to say. I’m blown away and feel incredibly honoured. I don’t feel like I deserve this. I can’t tell you what this means to my family, it’s so much to take in.’
Dame Deborah’s children Hugo and Eloise said they were ‘speechless’ and ‘so, so proud’, while husband Seb said a damehood was ‘something that she would never have dreamt of but it is so truly deserved’.
Damehoods and knighthoods are usually listed in the New Year or Queen’s Birthday Honours, but in exceptional circumstances some are announced at other times.
Deborah James explained how she’d had ‘hard conversations’ with the children, but put her full faith in husband Sebastien Bowen – a London banker with whom she has been married more than 13 years. She has urged him to find love again as long as it’s not a ‘bimbo’
Deborah announced earlier this week in a heartbreaking message that active treatment for her bowel cancer was stopping and that she was moving to hospice at home care
In a tearful interview she said: ‘The one thing my family know is I am petrified of being alone. I don’t want to die alone.’ And when asked about the end of her life approaching she said: ‘I have moments when I just sob uncontrollably, but I can’t spend my last few days crying, it would be such a waste. So I’m trying to compartmentalise my death’.
She said she has started her ‘to-do death list’ to support son Hugo, 14, and daughter, Eloise, 12, when she is gone, and has urged her husband Sebastien to find love, with the caveat: ‘Don’t be taken for a ride, don’t marry a bimbo’.
Dame Deborah said she has written letters for her children to help them with their first dates and wedding days, and will buy Hugo ‘a nice pen or wallet or cufflinks’ and Eloise ‘Tiffany bracelets and earrings’ to remember her – as well as some presents and postcards from her for the future.
Her funeral is also planned where she will be cremated, but she hopes her ashes will be kept in the family kitchen ‘for a while’ before being scattered.
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